I am going to try the "eat more" thing again.....

dangerousdumpling

Just based on all the numbers you got, I'd try eating at 1600-1700 for a couple months and seeing how that works. Before, when you had tried the "eat more" things, how long did you try that for, because it typically takes at least 2 weeks, if not closer to 4-6 weeks for your body to adjust and start losing again.

1200 works because you're depriving your body. 1600 works because you're depriving your fat.

I always give a dietary change at least 30 days before I try something else. It depends on what I am doing, some things show results faster than others. Food allergies for example can be discovered faster than other things. I do give it a fair chance to work before I throw it out and try something else.

When I increased my calories from 1200 to 1600-1700 I gained 1 pound and kept it on for exactly four weeks to the day. The next day I lost a pound. Eight days later I lost another pound. Two days later I lost another pound. It was hard to stick it out seeing no results but I knew it was the right thing to do for me. 1200 calories wasn't working for me.
I know it's hard to figure out which calculator to go with, but you've got to start somewhere. I chose fat2fitradio and it worked for me. Scooby's numbers seemed high at the time but adding in my cheat meals suggests otherwise. Pick one and go with it. Give it time and make adjustments if needed.

Thanks for sharing this. It helps to have a ball park idea of what happens and when.

You're very welcome. I forgot to add one important thing. After two weeks of increased calories and no pounds lost it started to get to me so I took some advice I read here and took measurements. And it was such a good thing I did! I lost 5 inches in the next two weeks but didn't lose a pound. I got into some jeans that I hadn't been able to wear in two or three years. So take measurements as soon as you can and take them in again in a few weeks.

1223345

Okay, I had a chance to visit the links etc... and That spread sheet wasn't working. How do I get it to allow me to enter my info? One of the other links said my BMR is 1517 and in the chart it said I should eat 1612 calories? I thought it was supposed to be a percentage of the BMR? Do I use the BMR or TDEE? hmm.... I don't know why I can't get my brain around this.

dangerousdumpling

this might help



Women Categories

Category 1: Less than 24% body fat. 

Category 2: 25-35% body fat 

Category 3: 35% > body fat.

Below is the formula to calculate your deficit.
Category 1 = multiply TDEE by .90
Category 2 = multiply TDEE by .85
Category 3 = multiply TDEE by .80

This is SO helpful to me. Body fat calculators I've used either put me at 27% or 45% and neither seems accurate. I would guess that I'm closest to Miss 35%. Thanks for posting that.

1223345

Thanks for all the time and patience here. I am going to see what happens now that I FINALLY understand this. I appreciate all the links and info from everyone.

Adah_m

bump

BlueSeashells

I don't know if this would help you. I just go by my "future" maintenance level as if I already lost all the excess weight and went on maintenance. Sure, the loss rate is slower but more sustainable and less frustrating in the long run. Folks' mileage may vary, of course.

I am 4' 10" and have 20 lbs to go after losing 26 pounds. My daily caloric intake is 1750 approximately aimed for 110 pounds which is my final goal. It's already based on the current activity level (with weight-lifting 3 non-consecutive days a week and light cardio 3 non-consecutive days a week), so no eating back calories. I had to change my settings to "gain weight" instead of go by 1200 calories a day as recommended by MFP.

I'm still losing weight (reached 130 lbs recently); however, the closer I reach my goal, the slower the loss rate might be, but I don't care. This is supposed to be a lifestyle change, not a shortcut.

Good luck to you.

BlueSeashells

I don't know if this would help you. I just go by my "future" maintenance level as if I already lost all the excess weight and went on maintenance. Sure, the loss rate is slower but more sustainable and less frustrating in the long run. Folks' mileage may vary, of course.

I am 4' 10" and have 20 lbs to go after losing 26 pounds. My daily caloric intake is 1750 approximately aimed for 110 pounds which is my final goal. It's already based on the current activity level (with weight-lifting 3 non-consecutive days a week and light cardio 3 non-consecutive days a week), so no eating back calories. I had to change my settings to "gain weight" instead of go by 1200 calories a day as recommended by MFP.

I'm still losing weight (reached 130 lbs recently); however, the closer I reach my goal, the slower the loss rate might be, but I don't care. This is supposed to be a lifestyle change, not a shortcut.

Good luck to you.

You should actually eat a bit lower the closer you get to your goal than your future tdee. if you don't this will happen



i am not sure how good you are at math, so i will explain. Imagine the line that's horizontal is your goal weight. The purple line is your current weight. You will get close to it, but you will never actually hit your goal weight. Your calorie deficit would get smaller. and smaller and smaller and smaller as you lose weight. So your weight loss will get slower, and slower and slower and slower...

Which is already fine with me. Like I said in another post, this is for life, not a shortcut. Also, that the loss rate will go slower as time goes on, but thanks for your input.

geekyjock76

Probably one of the greatest benefits of "eating more" is it teaches people just how much energy their bodies truly need to maintain their body weight and composition if they are patient enough to complete the adjustment period of increasing calories gradually. Not only do most people underestimate their caloric intake when tracking, they also undervalue their TDEE needs - especially women.

Prediction formulas are just that - predictions. To establish your true TDEE, be patient and increase calories to the maximum amount which leads to relative weight homeostasis. After some initial weight gain, your body weight will stabilize - this is your TDEE. During this time, accurately weigh food intake so you know what you need to maintain body weight and composition. From there, you can set the appropriate deficit.

cindybpitts

I always went over it and over it in my head. Every night I could never remember my BMR or TDEE...so I picked one and stuck with it. I wrote it down. I was driving myself nuts about it. I just keep in mind that as long as you eat under your TDEE then you will lose weight...it`s a deficit as long as you are under. So now that I havent been stressing over it, I see progress..FINALLY!!

My TDEE is around 2400 so I eat 1600 to 1900 cals. Sometimes I eat less. The more I eat though is when the weight comes down. All the DAMN years I starved and didnt have to!

determinedbutlazy

I got a very similar number from Haybales' spreadsheet as I did from Scooby's Workshop's calculator (within 100 calories) so you could just have a look at that first to get an idea?

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

As regards to not being able to edit the spreadsheet, you need to download it and open it in Excel before you can enter your details.

1223345

I am going to book mark this page. I plan to come back if I run into any problems. I appreciate the fact that there was only helpful people responding instead of ...well..... you know how it gets sometimes. Let's just leave it at that! Anyhoo, I'm eager to see how I do on this. Thanks again!

BlueSeashells

Sigh. I am not new to weight loss. I was obese for 10 years a long time ago, lost the weight, and maintained it for 7 years at 105 lbs before I got pregnant. When I was losing the weight, the last 5 months look the longest to get to weight goal. Very little weight loss along the way.

Like I said, again, it doesn't matter to me. I eat enough to keep myself healthy, happy and energetic enough to lift weights. That's more important to me to be fit than being obsessive and complaining about why I am not losing weight as I reach closer to my goal.

Peace out.

1223345

I never had trouble losing weight until I quit smoking 7 years ago. I went from weighing 125 to 165 it seems overnight. since I was able to get the eating under control 20lbs just fell right off. I have never been able to get below 145 since. My current weight is partially from 1) having a second baby 2) a hyperactive thyroid. (I know, I was surprised it didn't go the other way too) 3) a vitamin D deficiency and 4) candida. I have been peeling layer after layer back here to get my body back on track. It just takes work and patience.

I will say this of my thyroid, I had multiple cysts on my thyroid, my endocrinologist said the reason I had trouble losing weight was because of the increase in appetite, my thyroid was fast enough to make me hungry but not fast enough to burn off the extra energy.

larsensue

bump

carlysuzanne85

this might help



Women Categories

Category 1: Less than 24% body fat. 

Category 2: 25-35% body fat 

Category 3: 35% > body fat.

Below is the formula to calculate your deficit.
Category 1 = multiply TDEE by .90
Category 2 = multiply TDEE by .85
Category 3 = multiply TDEE by .80

This is great! And, for me, quite consistent with the numbers I've found on the various TDEE calculators.